, 1887-05-18


ell area, rain seems to have. a powerful in
huence in checking the disease. But to
have this effect the rainfall must be. heavy
"and continuous, while on the contrary, light
and intermittent rains favour it's spread.
But, in order to give character and energy
to the development of cholera, there are
other conditions required besides meteOrO.
logical phenomena. These other conditions
have been described as the '~'terrene ele.
ment," and correspond with what in Eng
land have been termed the "lOcaliZing
causes of cholera.
Our contemporary closes the article from
which the foregoing extracts are taken by
saying:
La all the different conditions to which
we have here briefly referred, is there not,
We ask a wide and interesting field of
enduiy9t III the interest of science no
less than of humanity we appeal to the
Government to appoint properly qualified
persons to superintend the taking of all
kinds of observations during the present
visitation of cholera, and their embOdi-
sueut into Il general report after the eplde-
mic has disappeared. 1t should not be
forgotten that the day of the fancied
Immunity of Chile from an invasion of
Asiatic cholera has passed nor should the
VERY important fact, that from this m
henceforth We shall be exposed to similar
viSitationS as the present 0ne, be ignored.
These considerations alone, apart alto.
.rathAr from those due to science aud hu-
manity. ought to bo sufficient to induce
the Government and people to carefully
investigate ami treasure up everything
connected with the present visitation, no
matter how trivia the circum stance may,
ut frsc sight, appear TO be. A comptla-
zion Of all the occurrences connected with
the uresent visitation would be full Of in
sfrucuve and valuable lessons for the
future.
The record for Santiago, the capital, and
its vicinity, stood as follows =
From Jan. % to 29.-32 new cases, 10
discharged, 30 deaths.
From Jan. 29:tO 30.-New cases ~;
deaths rs, discharged %.
From Jan. 80 TT 3t.-New cases GO;
deaths Al, discharged s.
From Jan: 81 to Feb. New cases 80
deaths OIL. No patient left the hospital
this day, and l6l still occupy bods liz the
different wards.
From Feb, | to Feb. 9, noOa-New cases
As; discharged 30, deaths 40.
From Feb. 2 to Feb 3, nOOn-New cases
80; deaths 90, discharged 80.
The ChiLiGR Times Ut Feb 5, from which
the above extracts are ma @, then pub
It~leS detailed reports from ~ UlSUCicCS,
received by telegraph, and which is most
remarkable Az it is an honorable dOcU-
ment showing az the work of scientific men
engaged in combating he disease, and
the willing correctness of detail among
the workers who are assisting them. This
report shows that the figures obtained from
no $pitalS aud private houses during that
short term, and which of course do not
80 back to the preceding day, were AS
follows:
Jan. % to 29.-l2l entered, go died, 81
were discharged.
Jan. 90 to 3L.-95 entered So died, and
so were discharged.
Jan. 80 to 3l.-CaSes entered 907 deaths
81: discharged IL. In hospital 1888.
Jan. 81 to Feb New eases II; deaths
SO, discharged Is.
From Feb. l to M0On on FeO New
cases "a deaths Al. discharged So.
Feb. and To- noon Oh Feb. 3rd.-New
eases II deaths 80 discharged 81.
Thus we ind that during the few days
for which this record is made there were
537 entries, 2S6 deaths, and 42l discharged
as cured.
The contemporary from whom these fig
nres are taken does not furnish figures for
the days a~utecedeut to the dates mention,
I'd.